Conventional outboard motors on marine craft (i.e., boats) ar mounted in a manner such that the motor can be pivoted about a vertical axis so as to steer the boat. Normally there is a vertically disposed pin (or pins) between the motor and the mounting clamp for the motor which allows the motor to be manually pivoted to the right or to the left for steering purposes. A handle is typically secured to the motor to allow the operator to pivot the motor, as desired.
The outboard motor may be detachably mounted to the transom of the boat or it may be mounted to a separate mounting plate or bracket supported by the boat. In certain instances the mounting plate or bracket may be vertically movable to permit the motor to be raised or lowered, as desired.
There have also been proposed remote control systems for enabling the operator to steer the boat from a remote location on the boat. Typically one or more switches are connected to a small electrical motor by wires, and the actuation of the switches causes the electric motor to effect pivotal movement of the outboard motor.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,768 there is described a steering system in which an outboard motor is mounted on a pivotable auxiliary transom. An electric motor is operably connected to the transom to cause selective pivoting movement of the transom in order to steer the boat. Other steering and support systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,928,631; 2,939,658; 2,951,460; 3,075,490; 3,283,738; 2,583,059; 2,804,838; and 2,877,733.
However, such prior systems are not easily detached and moved from one boat to another. Other of such systems are cumbersome or require relatively permanent mounting to the boat. Still others do not provide for remote control steering of the outboard motor.
There has not heretofore been provided improved apparatus for steering an outboard motor having the advantages exhibited by the present invention.